Installed headlight relays so maybe I won't have to replace headlight switch again.

 

Changed the gear oil in the front diff today.

The rear diff will get done sometime later in the week.

 

I need to do the diffs, and TC as well. But waiting for my source for free synthetic fluid to get back from vacation.

 

FREE ?


What's ya got to do to get free synthetic oil ? I just paid $300 for two cases of amsoil sever duty 75-140 gear oil.

Do you know someone who found something that fell off the back of a truck ?

 

Some friends = Free stuff....

 

At least four of our trucks still have the K-H hydraulic controllers; I have about a half dozen NOS ones stashed around that have came in various box-lot swap-meet and auction purchases; it is amazing how many people bought those things new, never took them out of the box, and pulled brakeless for years.

Back in my electric trailer brake days, the only fault I found with the hydraulic units was I used to have one burn up every once in a while when sitting at a light on a grade holding the brakes; after a bit, smoke would come out of the controller and that would be that.

Still, they are way ahead of the modern electronic gizmos lately available.

I do have an electronic controller in my F350 --- I would have to go out there and look to know just what it is --- ; in the rare event that I do have an electric braked trailer connected, it works as well as any electric control.

Many years ago, I equipped all of my trucks/trailers with vacuum-over-hydraulic brakes; once you get used to actually having brakes, anything else is scary dangerous.

I love to hear that big vacuum booster under the trailer neck do it's thing and feel the trailer start pulling the truck backwards.

 

I have two axles actually loaded on the controller. The third one is electronically amplified, and draws less than 1/10 of a wheel from the controller.

I'll watch for overheating. If it's a problem, I'll rig some electronics on it. It can be used as just an input device for electronic control.

What I like about it is that I can just reach down and modify it's action, either stronger or weaker, with the touch of a finger. Most of the time it just does it's thing.

I have found that when running on the front brake hydraulics as mine is now installed, it hits a bit early because the combination valve is holding back the front circuit till the rear starts to load up. I just picked up the weird 9/16 x 20 brake control T from O'reilly yesterday.

 

Seeing as how electric drum brakes by design do absolutely nothing so far as holding once the wheels quit rolling, maybe a spring-loaded cut-out switch would be a good idea so that power to the magnets could be cut when holding the truck brakes.

Regardless of how well maintained, I have never been impressed with any form of electric brake, especially the magnetic drum style.

 

They are a lever brake, with the lever expanding the shoes at the top, and being pulled by a magnet against a machined face on the drum. Actually it's a pretty nifty setup.

The early ones wouldn't hold in reverse. Modern ones work in both directions. Modern electric brakes also have a cable adjuster in them, while vintage brakes had to be adjusted frequently.

The trick is to get the voltage to the coils. On my fiver, I had minimal brakes on the way home. Wiring in the truck was 14g, as well as the trailer. then it was through a half dozen suitcase splices. By the time it got to the right trailer brake, after hopping off the left, there was only 7.5 volts left. It was only 12.5 off the controller.

Now with the hydraulic controller, it's full voltage at max braking off the controller, like 14v. I wired the truck 12G, and the trailer also, with a distribution block and even wiring to the wheels. I have over 12V at the wheels. She stops pretty good.

 

While we are on the subject, here is a money-saving trick that will double the life of the magnets.

The magnets only wear on one corner until they wear through the iron, then the plastic, and finally into the inner copper windings; the rest of the magnet remains untouched.

Regardless of how many braking wheels, once any magnet in the system wears through into the inner copper windings, the whole system is dead and will do nothing until the offending magnet is either replaced or it's wire clipped.

Way back in olden times, when I had several electric-braked trailers, I soon noticed this fact that the magnets only wore in one spot.

I would keep watch on the progression of wear on the magnets; and, when a magnet started to wear through to the plastic layer, I would swap sides with the magnets on that axle, thus providing a whole new contact point, with the worn corner just going along for the ride.

Look at a set of worn magnets and you will see what I mean.

 

Very interesting, and useful information...Thanks!!

 

After a month of waiting for my new exhaust, I finally called the credit card company and opened up a dispute with Treasure Valley Diesel. Beware!

 

Welded up a broken exhaust hanger on the black crew..and then drove it.

 

Pulled the radiator out of the way and went after the KDP. Replaced water pump and belt tensioner on the way by. KDP was still in it's proper place, but tabbed it with a piece of coat hanger anyway.

Found an 8mm bolt in my pocket when about ready to depart and almost freaked out, till I remembered I'd replaced it with a longer one.

Then I got the DPP 7x10 injectors pulled out and replaced with stock injectors. One was wet, and another was ridiculously wet. When we cranked it to fill the injector lines, it tried to start on one cylinder.

Then I went after the dynamic timing mod. Got one screw loose on the cold start thingie and stripped the stars out of the other. Tightened down the loose screw and abandoned the project till I can pull the pump and put it on the bench.

So now the pump is bone stock, as are the injectors. Timing advanced 1/8". Burns clean, runs smooth, but boring as watching grass grow.

 

How much better does it run with the stock injectors over the 7x10s? I've got 7x10s and I'm trying to get mine to run clean.. It should be easy with the turbo I have but I'm making very slow progress.

Did you have smoke issues on accelerating up hills after shifts with the 7x10s? (assuming you have a manual)